Triumph Unveils Next-Generation Moto2™ Race Engine for 2027
Following the success of the Triumph Moto2 engine, introduced at the start of the 2019 season at Qatar – Triumph Motorcycles of Hinkley, United Kingdom, today unveiled a new engine for the 2027 season. The engine is set to have a 6% power increase and 2kg weight reduction compared to the current engine.
Triumph has revealed details of its all-new Moto2™ race engine, developed using insights gained from almost two million kilometres of competition since becoming the championship’s exclusive engine supplier in 2019.
Designed to deliver increased performance and even closer racing, the latest engine has been extensively re-engineered, with a strong focus on improving airflow into the cylinders. A newly developed cylinder head features redesigned high-flow ports, a lightweight valvetrain and an updated combustion chamber, resulting in a higher compression ratio and increased torque throughout the rev range.
To support the additional power output, Triumph has also redesigned the crankcases and key internal engine components, ensuring the durability and reliability required for the demands of Grand Prix racing. Despite the performance gains, the new engine is also around 2kg lighter than its predecessor.
The updated power unit is expected to produce approximately 6% more peak power and will feature an increase in engine capacity, with further technical specifications set to be announced in due course.
The introduction of the new engine will also require Moto2™ chassis manufacturers to develop entirely new chassis for the 2027 season. Key changes include revised air intake positioning and updated engine mounting points to accommodate the new power unit.
Triumph has been working closely with chassis manufacturers over the past year, providing the technical information needed to support development ahead of the regulation changes. The new race engine will soon be made available to Moto2™ teams, with private testing already underway before its competitive debut later this year.
This latest development marks another significant step in Triumph’s ongoing commitment to advancing performance and supporting the continued evolution of Moto2™ racing. I sat down with Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent for some more information.
Why is now the right time for Triumph to produce this new engine? Was there a pressure element to it, or did you feel as though the current 765 had run its course in the Moto2 championship?
SS: “One of the things that attracted Dorna to working with us is that when we started working with them, the 765 engine was only just going into production. Prior to that, they’d been working with an engine that was a little bit older and had probably come to the end of its development cycle. So one of the things we always said to them was the opportunity here is that every couple of years we can move things on. They were really attracted to that, because they didn’t want their class to become stagnant.”
What was the overall feedback you got from the teams over the last few years of the development cycle, and did this influence any particular part of the new engine, such as the weight reduction?
SS: “No, that’s us challenging ourselves. A reduction in weight is always welcome, it always makes a bike feel better and handle better, so we really just challenged ourselves to say, ‘OK, we know we can get more performance out, so can we try and take the weight off as well?'”
Back in 2019, did you set yourself any particular goal that, if achieved, would have made you feel you’d ticked the box in your career? What vision did you have for the Triumph 765 engine?
SS: “When we first signed the contract, we were only committed for the first three years. Dorna were putting their trust in us and, I guess, we were dipping our toes in the water, putting our brand reputation on the line. We didn’t know at that stage just how successful it was going to be. But it didn’t take long into that first contract before we kicked off discussions about going further.”
SS: “We wanted to give riders more revs, it helps the riders have more choice in terms of what gearing they can hold going through a corner. We started getting feedback from the riders about the fact because it was a production gearbox, they had to go through neutral from second to first. And if you don’t do that in a really positive way, you can land in neutral. From there, we said the next big upgrade we were going to do was to come up with a race-shift gearbox so you can effectively lock neutral out, so you never have that issue. That was another big change before we started focusing on pushing the performance.”
How quickly did you start getting this feedback from the teams in the paddock?
SS: “If a team has a concern or an issue, it’s pretty instant. The teams would usually go to Trevor Morris at ExternPro and then Trevor would get on the phone to us if I wasn’t there. The first season, I watched every single practice session and race session, either live on TV or on my phone if I was elsewhere. Just watching every single lap to make sure everyone was okay. The very first round in Qatar, when we had our first Moto2 race, we watched from the stands and literally counted every single rider that came round. One rider that didn’t, though, was Sam Lowes. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ Then the camera panned to Sam at the side of the track. We thought, ‘Surely not,’ but thank goodness it was only a technical connector. We sighed with relief!”
Does that feeling ever go away, given how much this project means to you?
SS: “It has a bit now. I don’t religiously have to watch minute by minute to ensure everyone is okay, as I can now watch without worry because of how successful it has been.”
Last one from me. What’s left to tick off before the new 2027 engine is ready? What still needs to be finalised?
SS: “We have engines in – not in Moto2 chassis – but we have engines in other chassis running around race tracks, which I can’t tell you about. We employ quite a lot of ex-racers, and sometimes current racers, who will basically take a bike or an engine and just ride it at race pace for laps and laps on end. The next big step then really is for the Moto2 chassis manufacturers to get their first engines very soon. They will build that into a full Moto2 race bike and then start their testing as well.”
As Triumph looks ahead to 2027, it’s an exciting time for the British manufacturer. Of its more than 3,000 employees worldwide, around 1,000 are based at its headquarters in Hinckley, Leicestershire.
The company was bought by John Bloor, who started his career as a plasterer before building a successful property business. That venture would eventually become Bloor Homes, which today sits alongside Triumph’s global headquarters.
Many members of staff have spent decades with the company. One employee, who still helps train apprentices a few days each week, is an impressive 83 years old and has worked for Triumph for most of his career. He is one of three generations of his family to have worked for Triumph Motorcycles and shows no signs of slowing down.
As we head into the weekend, it’s Triumph’s home Grand Prix as MotoGP arrives at Silverstone from 7-9 August 2026. Currently, the Moto2 championship is led by Manuel Gonzalez, who also left Triumph’s Hinckley factory on Wednesday evening with his own Daytona, which he had purchased as a souvenir.
Thanks to Triumph Motorcycles for hosting us media this week. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how this new engine will shake up the Moto2 championship for 2027.
Millie Gilbert